'D' for Decorating Eleanor's Room The Victorian House

Canopy Beds

Eleanor, my eldest, is interested in making some changes to her room, and she has requested a canopy bed! After talking to her more and looking at examples together, we’re realizing that what she wants more than the look of a canopy bed is the feeling of coziness and privacy.* She wants a place to hide away and read, and I want to give that to her.

We may do something custom, perhaps building the bed into a nook, or mounting curtain rods from the ceiling, and if we do I’ll share more about that process (of course). To start though, we’ve been looking at readymade canopy beds. They’re falling into general categories, and I’ve rounded up examples below.


Curved Metal Beds

We all remember this Miles Redd bedroom, yes? It predated the chevron craze, but was also an early example of the canopy beds Redd has been doing (in ever more elaborate styles) since. I could get on board.

Miles Redd Bedroom with Canopy Bed

Pottery Barn Teen has a simple metal canopy bed that’s lovely, but it lacks a solid headboard. (Annoying because pillows tend to squish out the back.) If you’re willing to overlook a few details, this is the same shape but costs far less. I think it’s worth seeking out a solid headboard, in whatever material you like, and I’ve included a few in the mix below. What I did not include in this “curved metal” category are the arched canopies that reminded me of my childhood 80’s bed — I just can’t do it.

Canopy Beds - Curved Metal
  1. Maison Canopy Bed, PB Teen
  2. Bailey Canopy Bed, Overstock
  3. Iron Venetian Canopy Bed, Tara Shaw
  4. Sprague Canopy Bed, Overstock
  5. Clementine Canopy Bed, Overstock

Boxy Metal

Again, some of these lack a solid headboard, but maybe that’s my unique fixation? I particularly like the combination of a metal frame with an upholstered headboard.

Canopy Beds - Boxy Metal
  1. Lolington Canopy Bed, Wayfair
  2. Moira Industrial Canopy Bed, Overstock
  3. Flynn Canopy Bed, Pottery Barn Kids
  4. James Walnut with Black Frame Canopy Bed, Crate & Barrel
  5. Lincoln Upholstered Bed, Ethan Allen
  6. Architecture Bed, Room & Board
  7. Frame Canopy Bed, CB2
  8. Industrial Black Canopy Bed, Baxton Studio (half the price of CB2’s, but it has more supports beneath and the corners look less elegant)
  9. Amalfi Canopy Bed, One Kings Lane (and you may also like this similar style from Pottery Barn)

Wooden Canopy Beds

I’m not sure that these are right for us, but there are some lovely transitional style wooden canopy beds.

Canopy Beds - Wooden
  1. Gjöra Bed Frame, IKEA (not a true canopy, but interesting)
  2. Lindy Canopy Bed, Ballard Designs
  3. Hayward Bed, Ethan Allen
  4. Colonial Cane Bed, Williams Sonoma Home
  5. Keane Driftwood Canopy Bed, Crate & Barrel
  6. Hale Bed, Room & Board
  7. Whitaker Four Poster Bed, Serena & Lily

Forest Beds

I was surprised that these weren’t more appealing to my daughter. She loves spending the summer exploring the woods, surrounded by the forest canopy, but that didn’t translate into wanting a forest canopy bed. Still, these are fun for the right person.

Canopy Beds - Trees
  1. Arbor Bed, Grandin Road
  2. White Iron Mature Trees Bed, Overstock
  3. Forest Canopy Bed, Houzz (I think this is the same as Anthropologie’s, but priced lower)

Modern Fairytale

These read a little more juvenile, and definitely more feminine, like something a storybook princess would sleep in. We both liked the sense of enclosure in the second one, but didn’t love the bed itself.

Canopy Beds - Modern Princess
  1. Colette Canopy Bed, Pottery Barn Kids
  2. Blythe Carriage Bed, Pottery Barn Kids

Wooden Spindle Beds

My favorite style! I would invest in a bed for my master bedroom (I did, and I love it), but these are beyond my budget for a kid’s room. I could be surprised, but I expect that my daughter’s interest in canopy beds may be outgrown as she gets older.

Canopy Beds - Wooden Spindle
  1. Spool Canopy Poster Bed, The Beautiful Bed Company
  2. Grand St. Andrews Barley Twist Canopy Bed, The Beautiful Bed Company
  3. English Farmhouse Spindle Canopy Bed, English Farmhouse Furniture

* I’ve been saving examples in an Instagram collection to share with Eleanor and it has been tremendously helpful for narrowing down the things she likes (and just as important, the things she doesn’t). Saved collections are private, but I’ll work on moving the images to a Pinterest board. There were many responses from people that are looking at canopy beds for their kids too (or for themselves) and lots of requests for more details on the images I shared briefly in Instagram Stories. I’ll let you know when it’s up!

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  • Mudrick
    August 20, 2019 at 5:47 pm

    I agree the lack of a solid headboard is maddening! It seems like it would be easy to DIY an upholstered headboard from a sheet of plywood for many of those?

  • Emily Clark
    August 21, 2019 at 8:40 pm

    I have my childhood Ethan Allen twin trundle. I would love to modernize it with a black finish like the spindle beds above. Not sure how to start, though. I can strip it no problem, but stain? Paint? Finish with polyurethane or wax? Gaaah.

  • Gwen
    August 25, 2019 at 9:11 pm

    I second a custom (DIY) headboard. It’s so easy you could build it in your sleep. Plus the choice of any fabric, painted wood, whatever you dream up.

  • wally
    October 1, 2019 at 4:14 am

    I just saw this one (scroll down through the article) – it looks like a cross between a canopy bed and a terrarium to me! I love it!
    https://ny.curbed.com/2019/9/30/20887126/brooklyn-bridge-park-nyc-home-tour